Michael's Bone Marrow Transplant
Donation protected
Six months ago Mike began noticing drastic changes in his health, he just felt something "wasn't right". He went to multiple doctors seeking answers and received very few solutions to his constant fatigue. In August, Mike was scheduled to have a heart procedure due to a failed stress test, however, the night before he received a call that the procedure could not be performed due to other health issues. The pre-opt bloodwork showed abnormalities in his red and white blood cell counts. The doctor immediately referred him to an oncologist. The next day on August 25, 2015 Mike received the news that he had a form of leukemia and further testing would need to be done. With his childhood friend Kenny, son Michael and daughter Dianna by his side he waited for answers.
Two weeks later he was diagnosed with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia. CMML is a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and invades the blood. Click here to learn more about CMML.
In September, Mike was referred to Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa where there is a doctor that specializes in CMML. He went through further bone marrow tests and blood tests to identify the types of gene mutations and treatment options. His treatment options; use a current drug which prevents the white blood cells from multiplying and eventually it could put the cancer into remission. The other was to participate in a clinical trial for a drug to determine the future dosage and if a patient with CMML would respond to it. He was informed that his CMML may not respond to it. Mike researched these options excessively as he awaited the results for his tests. In mid September, he recieved his first of three blood transfusions due to his hemoglobin levels being very low. Hemoglobin levels should be up around 13, Mike's hemoglobin was at 5. Immediately following the blood transfusion his levels went up temporarily.
Additionally, he was referred to a Bone Marrow Transplant doctor. A Bone Marrow or Allogeneic transplant is the only possible "cure" known for CMML at this time. The doctor requested his brother Carlo and sister Nancy get genetic testing to see if they were possible candidates to be a donor. A bone marrow transplant would be considered if a sibling had matching genetic markers. The second option would be to go to the donor bank and waiting list to locate a match. The third option was children and/or other relatives.
On November 13, Mike received a call from the Bone Marrow specialist Carlo, his brother, was a PERFECT MATCH! We were overjoyed! But what did this mean?
Mike is going to receive an Allogeneic transplant. (More information provided below)
Since then the wheels have been put into motion plane tickets booked and appointment after appointment set up. Beginning the week of November 30, 2015, Mike will undergo a battery of tests, meet with the staff, the Transplant team and learn more about what the upcoming journey will be like .
In early December, Carlo will arrive in Florida and stay for approximately 3 weeks to under go testing and injections to prepare for the Allogeneic Stem Cell donation. Mike will start chemotherapy on December 16, and currently the transplant date is set to take place on December 22nd. Mike will need to be in the hospital for 3-4 weeks following the transplant to ensure that his body is responding correctly. Kenny, Mike's childhood friend, will be transporting him back and forth to Moffit Cancer Center during the preparation for the transplant. Moffit is about an hour and half from where he lives in Port Charlotte, FL.
After the transplant visitors will be limited and his immune system will be fragile. Once he receives clearance he will be moved to a facility near Moffit Hospital where he will need a full time caregiver for up to 12 weeks. He must stay within 10 minutes of the hospital during this time. The caregiver will need to stay with him on site in the facility 24 hours a day, will need to care for him, and transport him back and forth to the transplant facility for his daily tests and monitoring.
Mike's daughter, Dianna and her husband, live four hours from Moffit Cancer Center and have two young children. She also works full time. She is currently looking for options so that she can assist with her father's care. Mike's son Michael (21 years old), moved in with him following the diagnosis to assist Mike with care. He works full time as well.
The cost of the accommodations, his medical costs, medications and care giver costs have not yet been determined but his insurance is limited. Mike has very few family members who live locally to assist him during this very difficult time. He is beyond grateful to Kenny and his wife Cindy, for their lifelong friendship and support.
Mike is a very strong man and we know that he will make it through this. His spirits have been positive. We are beyond grateful for Carlo to be a stem cell donor for his brother. Please keep Mike, Carlo and their families in your thoughts and prayers as they enter into this new chapter.
"Once you choose hope, anything's possible." -
Christopher Reeve
Allogeneic transplant is when a patients stem cells and cancer cells are destroyed by chemotherapy and in some cases radiation. How the stem cells are collected from a match donor and infused into the patient to restore blood cell production after radiation and/or chemotherapy.
The term refers to the same procedure. The main difference is how the cells are collected. The procedure is called a stem cell transplant when stem cells are collected from the blood using a procedure called apheresis. It is called a bone marrow transplant when the stem cells are collected in the operating room.
(Moffit Cancer Center)
Two weeks later he was diagnosed with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia. CMML is a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and invades the blood. Click here to learn more about CMML.
In September, Mike was referred to Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa where there is a doctor that specializes in CMML. He went through further bone marrow tests and blood tests to identify the types of gene mutations and treatment options. His treatment options; use a current drug which prevents the white blood cells from multiplying and eventually it could put the cancer into remission. The other was to participate in a clinical trial for a drug to determine the future dosage and if a patient with CMML would respond to it. He was informed that his CMML may not respond to it. Mike researched these options excessively as he awaited the results for his tests. In mid September, he recieved his first of three blood transfusions due to his hemoglobin levels being very low. Hemoglobin levels should be up around 13, Mike's hemoglobin was at 5. Immediately following the blood transfusion his levels went up temporarily.
Additionally, he was referred to a Bone Marrow Transplant doctor. A Bone Marrow or Allogeneic transplant is the only possible "cure" known for CMML at this time. The doctor requested his brother Carlo and sister Nancy get genetic testing to see if they were possible candidates to be a donor. A bone marrow transplant would be considered if a sibling had matching genetic markers. The second option would be to go to the donor bank and waiting list to locate a match. The third option was children and/or other relatives.
On November 13, Mike received a call from the Bone Marrow specialist Carlo, his brother, was a PERFECT MATCH! We were overjoyed! But what did this mean?
Mike is going to receive an Allogeneic transplant. (More information provided below)
Since then the wheels have been put into motion plane tickets booked and appointment after appointment set up. Beginning the week of November 30, 2015, Mike will undergo a battery of tests, meet with the staff, the Transplant team and learn more about what the upcoming journey will be like .
In early December, Carlo will arrive in Florida and stay for approximately 3 weeks to under go testing and injections to prepare for the Allogeneic Stem Cell donation. Mike will start chemotherapy on December 16, and currently the transplant date is set to take place on December 22nd. Mike will need to be in the hospital for 3-4 weeks following the transplant to ensure that his body is responding correctly. Kenny, Mike's childhood friend, will be transporting him back and forth to Moffit Cancer Center during the preparation for the transplant. Moffit is about an hour and half from where he lives in Port Charlotte, FL.
After the transplant visitors will be limited and his immune system will be fragile. Once he receives clearance he will be moved to a facility near Moffit Hospital where he will need a full time caregiver for up to 12 weeks. He must stay within 10 minutes of the hospital during this time. The caregiver will need to stay with him on site in the facility 24 hours a day, will need to care for him, and transport him back and forth to the transplant facility for his daily tests and monitoring.
Mike's daughter, Dianna and her husband, live four hours from Moffit Cancer Center and have two young children. She also works full time. She is currently looking for options so that she can assist with her father's care. Mike's son Michael (21 years old), moved in with him following the diagnosis to assist Mike with care. He works full time as well.
The cost of the accommodations, his medical costs, medications and care giver costs have not yet been determined but his insurance is limited. Mike has very few family members who live locally to assist him during this very difficult time. He is beyond grateful to Kenny and his wife Cindy, for their lifelong friendship and support.
Mike is a very strong man and we know that he will make it through this. His spirits have been positive. We are beyond grateful for Carlo to be a stem cell donor for his brother. Please keep Mike, Carlo and their families in your thoughts and prayers as they enter into this new chapter.
"Once you choose hope, anything's possible." -
Christopher Reeve
Allogeneic transplant is when a patients stem cells and cancer cells are destroyed by chemotherapy and in some cases radiation. How the stem cells are collected from a match donor and infused into the patient to restore blood cell production after radiation and/or chemotherapy.
The term refers to the same procedure. The main difference is how the cells are collected. The procedure is called a stem cell transplant when stem cells are collected from the blood using a procedure called apheresis. It is called a bone marrow transplant when the stem cells are collected in the operating room.
(Moffit Cancer Center)
Organizer and beneficiary
Dianna Gamelin
Organizer
Boynton Beach, FL
Michael Doherty
Beneficiary